Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

RANKIN INLET
When Cadet George Dunkerley returns home to Rankin Inlet tomorrow, he'll be equipped with everything he needs to know to instruct and administer drill and ceremonial parades.

Cadet George Dunkerley of Rankin Inlet puts his thumbs up after climbing the rock wall at the Vernon Army Cadet Summer Training Centre in British Columbia last month. - photo courtesy of Capt. Debbie Middleton

The 17-year-old is in Vernon, B.C., for a six-week training course, preparing him for the responsibility of instructing the Royal Canadian Army Cadets in Rankin Inlet.

"I think I'll be a very good instructor," he said on the phone from the Vernon Army Cadet Summer Training Centre.

He said a good instructor is organized, listens to his cadets and is prepared for everything.

As part of his training, Dunkerley, who is entering Grade 11 at Maani Ulujuk Illinarvik, has had to take command of the platoon in Vernon.

He said it went very well.

Capt. Debbie Middleton said Dunkerley is learning everything he needs to know to become a senior leader in Rankin Inlet.

"He learns instructional techniques. He learns how to be an instructor. He learns how to be a leader. He learns the proper ways to do drill and the command series and how to run a parade and a flag party and rifle drill," she said.

"It gives cadets a lot of self discipline because they do have to work as a group together and, if you've seen troops marching, they all have to be in step and they all have to be working together as a team."

She said it's important for cadets from small communities to come to camp, especially for the Army Cadet Drill and Ceremonial Instructor Course Dunkerley is enrolled in.

"They do a lot of focus on doing proper drill and rifle drill and flag party drill," she said. She said if cadets, like Dunkerley, know the proper way to do drill, they're able to bring that knowledge back to their unit.

"That's really nice because we can get some kids trained from the smaller corps in more remote areas," she said.

Although Dunkerley is in Vernon to learn how to become an instructor, that doesn't mean all drill all the time. He has also had the opportunity to test his physical and mental strength.

He has climbed rock walls and even rappelled off a 40-foot tower, despite his fear of heights.

"My favourite thing so far would be the abseil tower," he said last week.

"It's a tower that you can rappel down or climb down. It was a new experience for me. It's also one of the most memorable ones.

"It makes you really nervous because not many people are used to jumping off of things and rappelling down, but once you do it, you'll want to go again and again."

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.